E3 is dead...

[DilTech]

http://next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3538&Itemid=2


The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) shindig has been a staple of game industry life since the mid-1990s. However, we understand the larger exhibitors have jointly decided that the costs of the event do not justify the returns, generally measured in media exposure.

[idiotec]

Man! I just went for the first time this last year. I guess I should feel lucky I made it once, but that sucks!!! :(

[nn_step]

Ah :banana::banana::banana::banana:, that sucks

[TyroPyro]

Wow! That sucks :( But it's true... I've always wondered how the moderate publicity E3 generates justifies all the grandness

[turtle]

I've always wondered how the moderate publicity E3 generates justifies all the grandness

Me too, but it makes one wonder why they don't just scale it back and shrink it down...The exhibits don't have to be comprised of huge booths with a 100 tv's to form a gigantic picture...Something smaller with trailers on a few screens, some posters, and a few testing betas per booth would seemingly fix the deminished return (Something more like Computex). Hell, they could save money by not handing out meaningless suviniours as well. ;)

This does suck, whole lot, as now I actually have to pay attention to everything year-round rather than just check out what's up at E3, and follow what I like accordingly.

If anything good can come from it though, at least now we'll get information on a more timely basis, perhaps even with earlier launches of some products, as people won't save everything to debut at E3.

[biohead]

in the other hand, they weren't really spending their money right, were they?

[Metroid]

If that is true. It will be very disappointing next year.

[Cooper]

Well if they can`t afford making real exhibition how about making virtual one.
I believe many developers would make great presentation trailers and put `em all on high BW webhost. And you wouldn`t have to go to exhibition or search for comprehensive reviews. it`ll all be in one place :)

[[XC] leviathan18]

this is the worst news this year for sure

[FghtinIrshNvrDi]

never paid much attention to that get-together anyway.

Although I'm not upset, I do wonder why they wouldn't re-run the budget and downsize instead of eliminate.

Ryan

[Sanborn]

This is a great thing for the video game industry, every year E3 takes away MONTHS of the development time to prepare E3 game demos and showings. This could lead to better products and faster development all around.

not to mention the money saved could go to more TV ads that would actually get more people excited

[brickout]

^^^Agreed, E3 became too much of an end in itself instead of the progress report it was meant to be.

Companies can spend much less time producing teaser trailers.

[J-Mag]

Trade shows have been dying in many industries, it is much more efficient to get marketing up on websites and forums these days.

[gundamit]

The ever increasing costs of the babe booth wars are breaking the back of trade shows. ;) Eventully we'll only get to see guys walking around with wearing sandwich boards at Lan parties. :D

[Shift]

I wanted to go to E3 at least once. It's really shocking that it got casnceled out of nowhere. I'm shocked, their wasn't warning.

[Kanten]

Not enough returns? They barred the public from the event, what exactly were they expecting to happen?

[[XC] leviathan18]

this was because they didnt want to put booth babes in mini skirts... thats why there isnt more E3

[idiotec]

Well it seems now that there are some different reports coming out on the subject:

Despite sensationalist headlines regarding E3's outright cancellation from several online sources, Gamasutra has learned that the event is currently under significant threat for downsizing and relocation in 2007, due to dissatisfaction from major publishers over the cost of the LA-based event.

A follow-up report today by PC enthusiast site Ars Technica has gone as far as to claim that a number of the reports are "simply incorrect," by virtue of "some quick fact checking." According to the report, sources close to the ESA can confirm that E3 will be taking place next year, though "big changes are planned."

http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=10271

[Verisimilitude]

The OP's link says it is not dead; Just no longer as big. So those quotes just support it.

[wa77ss]

Why dont they just get a lot of sponsors to pay for it all ?

[idiotec]

Why dont they just get a lot of sponsors to pay for it all ?
They ARE the sponsors ;)

Edit: Gamespot addresses the issue. It is definitely looking more like a "downsizing" than a full out cancellation.

Sources said that rather than fill the 540,000 square feet of the cavernous LACC, the show will take place at a location that would support exhibitors in meeting room space only, with companies showing their wares to a select group of attendees numbering in the hundreds rather than thousands.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6154897.html

[Zardokk]

:( I never had a chance to go...damn. I hope they come back in a few years with another E3-esque convention.

[Flak Monkey]

Bah, I was going to go next year.